motivating students to write

TESOL Journal 33

should be avoided.4. The most important step in the process is

to have students suggest improvements to the paragraphs discussed. Prompting them, I might ask them, for instance, to suggest a more convincing main idea. This routine enables students to practice identifying and correcting weaknesses.

5. For additional practice, I prepare a table of common stylistic weaknesses using the examples I presented earlier and ask stu-dents to rewrite the examples more effec-tively. This can be done either in class or as homework (see the sample table and rewrites on p. 32). Using this table, stu-dents can rewrite their paragraphs with a clearer focus and smoother style.

6. Alternatively, I might ask students to re-view their own work from previous writ-ing assignments for similar weaknesses and assign rewrites of weak paragraphs. Insubsequent classes, students can exchange

their revisions and look for specific weak-nesses in one another’s work.

CaveatAlthough rewrites may be assigned as home-work, weak paragraphs should not be; stu-dents should not consider weak writing amore effective means of communication. Ialways stress that in the weak writing exer-cise, we are not practicing what to do but,rather, what not to do. That is why the weak-nesses should be obvious. I recommend fol-lowing this exercise immediately with anassignment that emphasizes writing strongparagraphs, using the table of common stylis-tic weaknesses to remind students what toavoid so as to write their best.

Furthermore, I would not encourage stu-dents to use incorrect grammar or syntax. Theemphasis is on problems that occur when para-graphs are not properly developed. I suggest

introducing this weak paragraph exercise earlyin the term. (I always limit it to one class ses-sion, never more than 1–2 hours long; afterthat, students must concentrate on writingwell.) Students enjoy the novelty. More impor-tant, the exercise provides students with a use-ful reference point: If anybody lapses intousing less effective styles of writing later on, itis easy for me to point out these flaws, andeasy for the student to recognize them, too.

Author

Tom Glass taught English in Thailand as aPeace Corps volunteer and has beenteaching English at MahasarakhamUniversity, in Mahasarakham, Thailand,since 1987. He has also published a bookof original short stories set in Thailand,entitled Even a Little is Something (1997,Linnet Books) and two books of storiestranslated from Thai.

Motivating Students to WriteAzzeddine Bencherab

I have found that the topics I select forwriting assignments for my senior schoolEFL students in Algeria are an importantpart of engaging them in writing. Studentsoften find familiar topics to be more mean-ingful and interesting, and such topicsallow them to use their background knowl-edge. Thus, students tend to be more moti-vated to write and to approach writingassignments with less anxiety.

Preparation

Select a topic, such as “Home Accidents:Their Causes and Consequences.” Preparea set of paper strips. On each strip, write atype of accident that can take place in thehome. Be sure to choose types of accidentsthat are common and, thus, familiar to stu-dents. Then, put the strips in a box.

Procedure

1. Divide the class into small groups. The number of groups will depend on the number of strips you have created.

2. Ask one student from each group to volunteer to be the group leader. Ask

the leader to pick one strip from the box and read it to the group.

3. On a chalkboard or whiteboard, draw a chart with four columns, labeled “Group,” “Types of Accidents,” “Causes,” and “Consequences.” Under the Group column, list the number of each group.

4. Under the Types of Accidents column, ask each group leader to write the type of accident written on their strip of paper. Then, ask the students questions to generate discussion about the causes and consequences of the different types of accidents. Ask the group leaders to fillin the Causes and Consequences columns with their classmates’ responses.During this brainstorming activity, help the students focus on lexical items, such as caused by, due to, and as a result, by prompting them to answer questions, such as “What causes fires?” “Electric shocks can be due to what?” “Poisoning can be a result of what?” This exercise also incorporates other language learningskills into the activity, such as listening, speaking, and reading.

5. When all four columns of the chart are filled in, students are ready to begin writing. Ask each member of the groups to select a different type of accident from the chart and write a paragraph about it, using the ideas from the Causesand Consequences columns (see the sample chart on p. 34).

Follow-Up Activity

Once students have completed their para-graphs, ask the groups to organize the para-graphs into a composition. To help thestudents get started, make suggestions, suchas arranging the paragraphs based on whatthey feel is the most common to the leastcommon accident, or what they feel is themost serious to the least serious type ofaccident (e.g., based on the type of first aidthey would receive).

Variation

Instead of writing the types of accidents onthe s trips, prepare a set of strips thatfocuses on one type of accident. On eachstrip, write a cause and consequence of that

Spring 2001

34 TESOL Journal

particular type of accident. Put the strips ina box. Ask each group leader to take thesame number of strips from the box anddecide with the other group members howto organize the strips to write a composi-tion about the type of accident. Suggestways the students can organize the stripsinto paragraph topics, such as

• defining the type of accident• listing the causes• describing the consequences• suggesting how to prevent the accident

ConclusionTopic selection is an important factor inmotivating learners to write. The approachdescribed here uses a topic that is familiarand relevant to students, thus allowingthem to incorporate their backgroundknowledge. In addition, this activityinvolves group work, which enables stu-dents to share information, thereby addingfurther interest to the activity.

Author

Azzeddine Bencherab is coordinator andteacher of English in a senior school in theprovince of Saida, in Algeria. He has beenteaching English for more than 16 years.His main interests include L2 reading andwriting instruction and syllabus design inmixed-ability classes.

Do you have an ESOL “tip”

to share with yourteaching colleagues?

Send it to:Stephen J. Stoynoff

Editor, TESOL JournalDepartment of English

230 Armstrong HallMinnesota State University, Mankato

Mankato, MN 56001 USA

Please mark the manuscript clearly asa tips submission.

For further details on tips submissions, see “Guidelines forContributors” on pages 42–43.

• broken bones• bruises• scratches

• burns • respiratory prob-

lems from smokeinhalation

• burns• unconsciousness

• upset stomach• dizziness• unconsciousness

HOME ACCIDENTS: THEIR CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES

1

2

3

4

Group Types of Causes ConsequencesAccidents

fall

fire

electricshock

poisoning

• slipping on stairs• slipping on wet floors• slipping in the bathtub• reaching for an object

• cigarettes• worn wires

• worn wires

• wrong medicines4

Spring 2001

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